Requesting Leave

Tufts University Job Protection

Tufts protects the position of staff on authorized leaves of absence. You are eligible for two weeks of job protection for every year of service, with a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 26 weeks. The university cannot guarantee job protection if your leave of absence is longer than your job protection period.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The FMLA allows eligible staff to take up to 12 weeks of leave for the following reasons:

To care for your own serious health condition.

For the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

To care for a spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.

You need time off for activities related to the active military deployment of a spouse, child, or parent.

For the care of a covered service member with a serious injury or illness.

To be eligible for this leave, you must have worked for Tufts for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours and must have worked at a worksite within 75 miles of a Tufts worksite that employs at least 50 employees.

Parental Leave

Tufts offers parental leave to eligible staff for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. You may take an 8-week or 12-week leave, depending on your length of service at Tufts. All paid leaves must start on the day of your child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement.

If both parents are employed by Tufts, you are allowed to take a combined parental leave totaling 8 or 12 weeks, depending on your length of university service. As with all parental leaves, both parents’ leaves must start on the day of your child’s birth or adoption. Parental leaves may not be staggered or broken into parts.

Family Leave

Employees who need to care for a family member may be able to take a leave of absence to do so. Employees must be eligible for FMLA, which allows up to a 12 week leave and can be taken continuously or intermittently. This type of leave is unpaid, however employees may choose to apply up to 10 days of sick time, or any of their available personal or vacation time. If you have questions about family leave, please call 617-627-7000, inquire about a leave of absence online, or email leaves@tufts.edu.

Military Leave

A leave of absence will be granted to faculty and staff to attend scheduled drills or training or if called to active duty with the U.S. Uniformed Services. This is in accordance with federal law, including the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and applicable state law. Advance notice of military service is required, unless military necessity prevents such notice or it is otherwise impossible or unreasonable.

Military Leave under USERRA will be unpaid, except for military reserves two weeks a year, as detailed above. For all other military leaves, you may use any available paid vacation, personal, or sick days during the absence. Your accrual of benefits, such as vacation, personal days, sick leave, or holiday benefits will stop during the leave and will start again when you return to active employment. If you have questions about military leave or need more information about USERRA’s requirements, please call 617-627-7000, inquire about a leave of absence online, or email leaves@tufts.edu.

Personal Leave

You may request a personal leave for circumstances that do not fall under other leave categories. Requests for personal leave are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be approved in advance by your supervisor and Human Resources and normally cannot be longer six months. If you have questions about parental leave, please call 617-627-7000, inquire about a leave of absence online, or email leaves@tufts.edu.

Domestic Violence Leave

Tufts faculty and staff may take up to 15 days of unpaid leave in a 12-month period to address issues directly related to domestic violence against you or a family member. You may request domestic violence leave through your supervisor or the Leave of Absence Specialist.

You can use this time to seek medical attention, counseling, victim services or legal assistance, secure housing, participate in the legal process, or attend child custody proceedings or address other issues directly related to abusive behavior against you or your family.

Small Necessities Leave Act (SNLA)

The SNLA provides eligible Tufts staff with 24 hours of unpaid time off during any 12-month period to:

Participate in school activities directly related to the education of your son or daughter, such as parent-teacher conferences or interviewing for a new school.

Take your child to routine medical or dental appointments, including checkups or vaccines.

Take your elder relative (who is at least 60 years old and related to you by blood or marriage) to routine medical or dental appointments or appointments for other professional services related to the elder’s care, such as interviewing at nursing or group homes.

You should request this time off with your supervisor at least seven days in advance, or as soon as possible. Time taken is unpaid unless you choose to apply accrued vacation, personal, or bonus days or make up the missed time with the permission of your supervisor.

To be eligible for this leave, you must have worked for Tufts for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours and must have worked at a Tufts worksite that employs at least 50 employees.

Jury Duty

The university will pay the difference between your regular pay and jury duty pay up to thirty days in accordance with a lawful jury summons.

Benefits-eligible faculty are also entitled to Family and Medical Leave Act options. Paid time off is guided by individual school by-laws. For more information, please contact the Faculty Affairs contact for your school.